diff --git a/fuzz/qpdf_crypt_fuzzer.cc b/fuzz/qpdf_crypt_fuzzer.cc
index 54aba808..f310b501 100644
--- a/fuzz/qpdf_crypt_fuzzer.cc
+++ b/fuzz/qpdf_crypt_fuzzer.cc
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ FuzzHelper::doChecks()
     Pl_PNGFilter::setMemoryLimit(1'000'000);
     Pl_RunLength::setMemoryLimit(1'000'000);
     Pl_TIFFPredictor::setMemoryLimit(1'000'000);
-    Pl_Flate::setMemoryLimit(200'000);
+    Pl_Flate::memory_limit(200'000);
 
     // Do not decompress corrupt data. This may cause extended runtime within jpeglib without
     // exercising additional code paths in qpdf, and potentially causing counterproductive timeouts.
diff --git a/fuzz/qpdf_crypt_insecure_fuzzer.cc b/fuzz/qpdf_crypt_insecure_fuzzer.cc
index 61c55c5e..76d1337f 100644
--- a/fuzz/qpdf_crypt_insecure_fuzzer.cc
+++ b/fuzz/qpdf_crypt_insecure_fuzzer.cc
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ FuzzHelper::doChecks()
     Pl_PNGFilter::setMemoryLimit(1'000'000);
     Pl_RunLength::setMemoryLimit(1'000'000);
     Pl_TIFFPredictor::setMemoryLimit(1'000'000);
-    Pl_Flate::setMemoryLimit(200'000);
+    Pl_Flate::memory_limit(200'000);
 
     // Do not decompress corrupt data. This may cause extended runtime within jpeglib without
     // exercising additional code paths in qpdf, and potentially causing counterproductive timeouts.
diff --git a/fuzz/qpdf_fuzzer.cc b/fuzz/qpdf_fuzzer.cc
index a066b133..65aac384 100644
--- a/fuzz/qpdf_fuzzer.cc
+++ b/fuzz/qpdf_fuzzer.cc
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ FuzzHelper::doChecks()
     Pl_PNGFilter::setMemoryLimit(1'000'000);
     Pl_RunLength::setMemoryLimit(1'000'000);
     Pl_TIFFPredictor::setMemoryLimit(1'000'000);
-    Pl_Flate::setMemoryLimit(200'000);
+    Pl_Flate::memory_limit(200'000);
 
     // Do not decompress corrupt data. This may cause extended runtime within jpeglib without
     // exercising additional code paths in qpdf, and potentially causing counterproductive timeouts.
diff --git a/fuzz/qpdf_lin_fuzzer.cc b/fuzz/qpdf_lin_fuzzer.cc
index f116eec5..3be6a7d3 100644
--- a/fuzz/qpdf_lin_fuzzer.cc
+++ b/fuzz/qpdf_lin_fuzzer.cc
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ FuzzHelper::doChecks()
     Pl_PNGFilter::setMemoryLimit(1'000'000);
     Pl_RunLength::setMemoryLimit(1'000'000);
     Pl_TIFFPredictor::setMemoryLimit(1'000'000);
-    Pl_Flate::setMemoryLimit(200'000);
+    Pl_Flate::memory_limit(200'000);
 
     // Do not decompress corrupt data. This may cause extended runtime within jpeglib without
     // exercising additional code paths in qpdf, and potentially causing counterproductive timeouts.
diff --git a/fuzz/qpdf_outlines_fuzzer.cc b/fuzz/qpdf_outlines_fuzzer.cc
index f1887f70..7a2f7913 100644
--- a/fuzz/qpdf_outlines_fuzzer.cc
+++ b/fuzz/qpdf_outlines_fuzzer.cc
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ FuzzHelper::doChecks()
     Pl_PNGFilter::setMemoryLimit(1'000'000);
     Pl_RunLength::setMemoryLimit(1'000'000);
     Pl_TIFFPredictor::setMemoryLimit(1'000'000);
-    Pl_Flate::setMemoryLimit(200'000);
+    Pl_Flate::memory_limit(200'000);
 
     // Do not decompress corrupt data. This may cause extended runtime within jpeglib without
     // exercising additional code paths in qpdf, and potentially causing counterproductive timeouts.
diff --git a/fuzz/qpdf_pages_fuzzer.cc b/fuzz/qpdf_pages_fuzzer.cc
index 9fb3baf5..f1a0db1a 100644
--- a/fuzz/qpdf_pages_fuzzer.cc
+++ b/fuzz/qpdf_pages_fuzzer.cc
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ FuzzHelper::doChecks()
     Pl_PNGFilter::setMemoryLimit(1'000'000);
     Pl_RunLength::setMemoryLimit(1'000'000);
     Pl_TIFFPredictor::setMemoryLimit(1'000'000);
-    Pl_Flate::setMemoryLimit(200'000);
+    Pl_Flate::memory_limit(200'000);
 
     // Do not decompress corrupt data. This may cause extended runtime within jpeglib without
     // exercising additional code paths in qpdf, and potentially causing counterproductive timeouts.
diff --git a/include/qpdf/Pl_Flate.hh b/include/qpdf/Pl_Flate.hh
index 91c3c546..c7bbeba8 100644
--- a/include/qpdf/Pl_Flate.hh
+++ b/include/qpdf/Pl_Flate.hh
@@ -48,7 +48,9 @@ class QPDF_DLL_CLASS Pl_Flate: public Pipeline
     // Limit the memory used.
     // NB This is a static option affecting all Pl_Flate instances.
     QPDF_DLL
-    static void setMemoryLimit(unsigned long long limit);
+    static unsigned long long memory_limit();
+    QPDF_DLL
+    static void memory_limit(unsigned long long limit);
 
     QPDF_DLL
     void write(unsigned char const* data, size_t len) override;
diff --git a/libqpdf/Pl_Flate.cc b/libqpdf/Pl_Flate.cc
index 6e690cb7..97a337b4 100644
--- a/libqpdf/Pl_Flate.cc
+++ b/libqpdf/Pl_Flate.cc
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 namespace
 {
-    unsigned long long memory_limit{0};
+    unsigned long long memory_limit_{0};
 } // namespace
 
 int Pl_Flate::compression_level = Z_DEFAULT_COMPRESSION;
@@ -80,10 +80,16 @@ Pl_Flate::~Pl_Flate() // NOLINT (modernize-use-equals-default)
     // Must be explicit and not inline -- see QPDF_DLL_CLASS in README-maintainer
 }
 
-void
-Pl_Flate::setMemoryLimit(unsigned long long limit)
+unsigned long long
+Pl_Flate::memory_limit()
 {
-    memory_limit = limit;
+    return memory_limit_;
+}
+
+void
+Pl_Flate::memory_limit(unsigned long long limit)
+{
+    memory_limit_ = limit;
 }
 
 void
@@ -197,9 +203,9 @@ Pl_Flate::handleData(unsigned char const* data, size_t len, int flush)
                 }
                 uLong ready = QIntC::to_ulong(m->out_bufsize - zstream.avail_out);
                 if (ready > 0) {
-                    if (memory_limit && m->action != a_deflate) {
+                    if (memory_limit_ && m->action != a_deflate) {
                         m->written += ready;
-                        if (m->written > memory_limit) {
+                        if (m->written > memory_limit_) {
                             throw std::runtime_error("PL_Flate memory limit exceeded");
                         }
                     }
@@ -220,7 +226,7 @@ Pl_Flate::handleData(unsigned char const* data, size_t len, int flush)
 void
 Pl_Flate::finish()
 {
-    if (m->written > memory_limit) {
+    if (m->written > memory_limit_) {
         throw std::runtime_error("PL_Flate memory limit exceeded");
     }
     try {